---
name: astrology-lens-decans-36-faces
description: Reading lens — Austin Coppock 36 Faces / decan method. Use as ONE lens inside astrology-reading-compose. Reads decan pages from the astro-sources-wiki and emits structured claims per placement; the compose layer weaves prose.
version: 0.1.0
author: Hermes Agent + Alex
license: MIT
metadata:
  hermes:
    tags: [astrology, lens, decans, 36-faces, coppock, faces]
    related_skills: [astrology-reading-compose, astral-chart-api, llm-wiki, astral-tenant-kb]
---

# Astrology Lens — Decans / 36 Faces

A **lens**, not a full reading. Maps every planetary placement to its decan (face), pulls the corresponding wiki page from `astro-sources-wiki`, and emits structured claims with citations.

## Lens contract

**Input**: chart JSON from `astral-chart-api`.

**Output**:

```json
{
  "lens": "decans-36-faces",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "claims": [
    {"kind": "decan", "body": "Sun", "sign": "Libra", "degree": 2.84, "face": "libra-i", "ruler_face": "Moon", "title": "Libra I — The Iron Spike"},
    {"kind": "decan-emphasis", "face": "libra-i", "bodies": ["Sun"], "weight": "high"},
    {"kind": "decan-cluster", "face": "scorpio-i", "bodies": ["Venus", "Jupiter"], "weight": "main-theme"}
  ],
  "citations": [
    {"base": "astro-sources", "page": "concepts/libra-i"},
    {"base": "astro-sources", "page": "concepts/scorpio-i"}
  ]
}
```

**Do not emit prose.**

## Decan boundaries (tropical, Chaldean order)

Each sign splits into three 10° faces, ruled by the Chaldean planetary sequence starting from the sign's traditional element-leader. The skill follows the Coppock 36 Faces convention; the exact face-ruler table is encoded on each wiki page.

Naming: `<sign>-i` (0°00′–9°59′), `<sign>-ii` (10°00′–19°59′), `<sign>-iii` (20°00′–29°59′).

## Source pages

All decan content lives at `/home/avalon/astro-sources-wiki/concepts/<sign>-<face>.md` (already populated). Reference index pages:

- `concepts/36-faces.md`
- `concepts/decans.md`
- `concepts/decan-tarot-correspondences.md` — quick-reference table mapping all 36 decans to their Rider–Waite minor arcana pip card, with asset paths into the `alexTarot` app (`/home/avalon/apps/alexTarot/public/cards/<wNN|cNN|sNN|pNN>.jpg`). Use this whenever a reading wants to surface the tarot correspondence for a placement.
- `entities/austin-coppock.md`

Query via the `llm-wiki` skill with `base=astro-sources`.

## Method

1. For each priority body (Sun, Moon, Asc, MC, chart ruler, all seven traditional planets, optionally outer planets + Nodes):
   - Compute degree within sign → resolve to face (`-i / -ii / -iii`).
   - Load wiki page `concepts/<sign>-<face>.md`.
   - Emit `kind: decan` claim with body/sign/degree/face/title + citation.

2. After all bodies mapped, look for **clusters**: any face holding ≥2 priority bodies → emit `kind: decan-cluster` claim with `weight: main-theme`.

3. For Sun/Moon/Asc emit `kind: decan-emphasis` with `weight: high` regardless of cluster status.

4. For tight conjunctions across a decan boundary (within 2°), emit a `kind: decan-bridge` claim noting both faces.

## Hard rules

- Tropical decans by default. If user explicitly requests sidereal/Nakshatra, this lens is the wrong tool — defer to a future `astrology-lens-nakshatras` skill.
- Always cite the wiki page; never paraphrase decan content without a citation.
- If a wiki page is missing (`astro-sources` doesn't have it), emit the claim with `citations: []` and a `kind: gap` claim flagging the missing page.

## Pitfalls

- Confusing 36 Faces (Coppock, tropical) with Vedic nakshatras (27 lunar mansions, sidereal). They are not the same; this lens does only the former.
- Forgetting boundary cases: 9.99° is `-i`, 10.00° is `-ii`. Use floor of `degree_in_sign / 10`.
- Reading the decan page as the final word — decans color a placement; they don't replace house, ruler, or aspect.

## Verification

- [ ] Every priority body has a `decan` claim
- [ ] Every claim citing the wiki resolves to an existing `astro-sources` page (or is flagged as `gap`)
- [ ] Clusters detected and emphasized
- [ ] No prose